What lessons can Britain learn from other EU referendums?

Abstract

Although the upcoming UK referendum on EU membership will only be the second time the British electorate has voted on its participation in the integration project, over 50 referendums have been held elsewhere in Europe on other aspects of European integration. Sara Hobolt assesses what lessons these referendums might have for the UK, noting that there are four key characteristics of ballots on the EU: that the campaign matters, party messages are important, the framing of the “reversion point” is crucial, and that EU referendums are not just about the EU.